


Atlas

by zinny



Series: Heart of Iron [16]
Category: Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Aunt Peggy Carter, BAMF Gamora (Marvel), BAMF Nebula (Marvel), Bruce Banner & Tony Stark Friendship, Canon Rewrite, Comic Book Science, Jarvis (Iron Man movies) Lives, Multi, Nebula & Tony Stark Friendship, Nebula (Marvel) Needs a Hug, Not Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie) Compliant, Not Iron Man 3 Compliant, Peggy Carter is Tony Stark's Godparent, Post-Avengers (2012), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Pre-Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), Timeline What Timeline, Tony Stark Feels, Tony Stark-centric
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-04
Updated: 2019-05-04
Packaged: 2020-02-23 18:34:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 680
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18707638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zinny/pseuds/zinny
Summary: Tony carries the nuke on his back like Atlas carries the world on his shoulders. He releases the nuke and falls back. It swerves towards the ship, detonating on impact and destroying everything in its path like a supernova. As Tony falls, he feels weightless. The explosion causes a tremor in the gravity, a force powerful enough that it jostles Tony away from the wormhole that would take him back to Earth to another one across the void. He doesn’t try to fight it, instead, he lets himself fall. The last thing he sees is the Earth portal close as the new one encompasses him and everything goes dark.





	Atlas

**Author's Note:**

> this is an au based on tony not returning to earth after carrying the nuke. instead, drifting into space and eventually, meeting some very familiar space dorks. we’ll begin our journey in 2012 and then jump right into 2014 and the guardians of the galaxy. i will be skimming over things on earth, our main focus is tony in space. anyway, this a short prelude but nonetheless, i’m posting it in hopes it encourages me to write more.

Tony knows there is no going back, as Rogers said; it’s a one-way trip, but it’s the only thing he can think of that could actually benefit their cause. It doesn’t really matter, they’re out of time and no one seems to be pitching in any ideas so Tony takes it and runs with it.

JARVIS attempts to contact Pepper. However, she doesn’t answer and Tony doesn’t blame her. She’s probably on the jet watching the broadcast of the battle like everyone else. His heart constricts at the thought of how much anguish he’s caused her so far. Their relationship might’ve ended, but he holds Pepper close to his heart. Right next to where he keeps Rhodey, his mother, and his Aunt Peggy; all important people who’ve impacted his life in various, but overall, all positive ways.

As he grows closer to the wormhole, Tony can’t help but think back on how so much his life has changed since he became Iron Man. Forged in iron—technically titanium alloy—and fire, Tony finds himself in a world that he particularly did not want to be a part of. Nevertheless, life has never been kind to him. Which is why he’s thrown in the middle of a world full of super soldiers, real-life Norse Gods, and aliens. Surely anyone would’ve lost their minds by now but Tony Stark isn’t just anyone. The world is evolving and he’s been front runner pioneer on how it develops for as long as he can remember.

However, that doesn’t erase his regrets and anxieties. There is still so much he could’ve done for himself and for the world, but as he edges closer to his self-evident demise, an almost serene mood takes over. His fingers tremble and his heart compresses, yet his mind remains calm. He vaguely hears whispers that sound almost like his mother and Aunt Peggy. Words of praise and encouragement that leave his soul in a state of genuine peace.

Though he drowns in repentance, Tony feels light. He loves a world that loves to hate him, but there is nothing he can do about it. No matter what he does, he’ll always be remembered by his mistakes. And if somehow, saving New York—saving the world—as his last act might just baptize him and cleanse his sins, then so be it because, at the end of the day, he’s not doing this for éclat. He’s doing this so the people he cares about can go home. Something he might not be able to do if his calculations are correct. Everything he’s done since becoming Iron Man is for them, whether they acknowledge it or not.

With his plan in motion, Tony carries the nuke on his back like Atlas carries the world on his shoulders. The irony of the comparison is not lost on him. He angles himself upwards, directing his destination to the violet wormhole in the sky. In an instant, he crosses through swiftly. Though it takes only seconds to pass through, it feels like a lifetime on his end.

Everything is silent. JARVIS loses connection with him, and everything shuts down.

Tony looks forward, his breath hitching at the sight of a huge ship looming over the horizon. There is no way the team could take them on their own. Even with the Hulk’s muscle and Thor’s abilities, they are only but a small inconvenience in their _endgame_.

With trembling hands, he releases the nuke and falls back. It swerves towards the ship, detonating on impact and destroying everything in its path like a supernova. As Tony falls, he feels weightless. His body density drastically shifting in outer space, even with his suit. The explosion causes a tremor in the gravity, a force powerful enough that it jostles Tony away from the wormhole that would take him back to Earth to another one across the void. He doesn’t try to fight it, instead, he lets himself fall. The last thing he sees is the Earth portal close as the new one encompasses him and everything goes dark.

**Author's Note:**

> as you can see, this is how i'm coping with endgame aka rewriting the whole thing. come talk about tony w/ me on [tumblr](https://lovertony.tumblr.com/).


End file.
